
Nippon-Ham pitcher Takayuki Kato made his final adjustments with catch practice and sprints in preparation for his start against Rakuten Eagles on the 9th (Rakuten Eagles Mobile).
In his first appearance of the season against Lotte on the 2nd (at Escon Stadium), he pitched brilliantly, allowing only four hit and no runs over six innings, earning his first win of the season. He said, "I think my fastball was really good, and I've been able to maintain that, so I want to keep working hard."
Regarding Rakuten Eagles lineup, he expressed caution, saying, "I think they're all in good form, and as I saw yesterday (the 7th), they're using pitcher. I hope I can pitch tenaciously."